Harness attachment.



.H. R. ISENHOWER.

HARNESS ATTACHMENT. uruouron FILED JAN. 10. 1910.

Patented July 25, 1911.

awuwntcw I 17 [:Lfsemiower HARRY 13 ISENHOW'ER, OF BLGOMFIELD, INDIANA.

HARNESS ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 10, 1910.

Patented July 25, 1911.. Serial No. 537,368.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRYR. lsnnrrownu, citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomfield, in the county of Greene and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness, and the like, and refers particularly to a novel form of trace releaser.

This invention aims to provide a combined device which is adjustably secured upon the shafts of a wagon to detachably support the traces of a harness and to also adjustably and detachably support a breeching strap used in connection with the harness.

The invention has for another object the provision of a device of this character which is positive in operation and which may be secured upon practically any formation of shaft to adapt the device to horses varying in height and size.

The invention still further aims to provide a releaser of this character which is operable from a vehicle to which the some is applied by the drawing taut of a cable, or the like which is loosely carried across the dashboard of the vehicle.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward end of a vehicle having the improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the shafts of a vehicle having the releaser applied thereto, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one side of the releaser disclosed partly in section.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the aecompany ing drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 10 designates a pair of shafts which are arranged in parallel in the usual manner and which are suitably supported at their rear ends upon a brace 11. Disposed upon each of the shafts 10 is a clamp 12 which comprises a sheet of metal so stamped as to form cars 13 which depend from the opposite ends of the clamp 12 and are offset inwardly from the sides of the clamp to engage beneath "the shaft 10. Blocks 1% are engaged against the outer faces of the cars 13 andare suitably apertured for the reception of set-screws 15. It will be observed from Fig. 2 that. the clamp 12 is of substantially Uformation so as to engage against the opposite sides of the shaft 10 and across the upper edge thereof.

At the forward end of the clamp 12 and against the inner face thereof a sleeve 16 is disposed which supports therethrough a pivot pin 17. The upper end of the pivot pm 17 carries loosely thereon a hook 18 which is of substantially U-formation and which is pivotally supported at its central portion upon the pin 17. The free arms of the hooks 18 extend backwardly, the outer arms 19 of which are recessed to receive sliding bolts 20 which are secured in a housing 21 upon the upper edges of the clamps 12. The inner arms of the hooks 18 are extended backwardly and form means for retaining the rear extremities of the traces 22 to the shafts 20.

The sliding bolt 20 is provided at its rear end with a reduced stem 23 about which is positioned a spring 24 confined within the housing 21 and engaged at its rear extremity against an inturned lip 25 formed upon the rear end of the housing 21. The forward end of the spring 24: abuts against the shoulder which is formed at the juncture of the stem 23 and the sliding bolt 20. A cable 26 is secured at its opposite ends to the rear extremities of the stems 23 and is looped over the dashboard 27 of the vehicle, as is disclosed to advantage in Fig. 1. At the rear ends of the clamps 12 and against their inner faces are rods 28 which are vertically arranged in parallel relation and which carry loosely thereon collars 29 to which are secured the opposite extremities of a metallic strip 30 which is curved semieircularly and extended backwardly from the clamps 12. The metallic strip 30 is provided with a cover of leather 31, or the like which forms the breeching of the harness. The collars 29 are provided with setscrews 32 which engage therethrough and againstthe rods 28 in order to secure the collars 29 in a vertically adjusted position.

It is thus observed from a device of this construction that the clamps 12 may be loosened upon the shafts through the medium of the set-screws 15 whereby the clamps 12 may be longitudinally adjusted upon the shafts 10 and secured in such adjusted position.

It will also be observed that the breeching strap 31 may be vertically adjusted upon the rods 28 so as to conform to draft animals of various heights in adjusting the harness thereto.

NVhen it is desired to release the draft animal from the shafts 10 the driver grasps the cable 26 and draws upon the same. This action moves the bolts inwardly to retract the same from the recessed portions of the arms 19 formed upon the hooks 18 and further pulling action of the draft animal causes the tightening of the traces 22 which draws upon the inner arms of the hooks 18 and swings the hooks about the pivot pins 17, thus admitting of the sliding of the rear ends of the traces 22 from the hooks 18.

The members 12 are provided at their forward ends with upstanding studs 33 which are disposed adjacent the outer edges of the members 12 near the hooks 18 and approximately in transverse alinement to the arms 19. Straps 34 are rigidly engaged upon the upper end studs 33 and project longitudinally and inwardly over the arms 19. The straps 3a carry lugs 35 which extend downwardly from the inner ends of the straps 3e and rest upon the arms 19 to retain the traces 22 to prevent the slipping of the same from the arms 19. WVhen the hooks 18 are released from the bolts 20 the arms 19 are swung forwardly from beneath the lugs 35, as the straps 34 are rigidly carried upon the studs 33, to admit of the release of the traces 22 when the same are drawn forwardly.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A harness attachment including a pair of clamps arranged uponthe shafts of a vehicle for longitudinal adjustment, hooks pivotally carried at the forward ends of said clamps for engagement with the traces of a harness, sliding bolts disposed upon said clamps for engagement with said hooks to lock the same in position, rods vertically arranged in parallel relation at the rear ends of said clamps, and a breeching strap disposed upon said rods for vertical adjustment relative thereto.

2. In combination with a pair of shafts, of clamps disposed upon said shafts for longitudinal adjustment thereon, U-shaped hooks pivotally mounted upon the upper faces of said clamps for engagement with the traces of a harness, sliding bolts carried by said clamps for engagement with said hook to secure the same in position to support the traces, rods vertically disposed at the rear ends of said clamps, collars adjustably disposed 'upon said rods, and a breeching strap secured at its opposite ends to said collars.

3. In combination with a pair of shafts, of adjustable supports mounted upon the shafts, a swinging hook for engagement with the rear ends of the traces, a retract ing bolt disposed upon each of said supports to retain the hooks from movement, a pair of rods extending upwardly from the supports and a breeching strap adjustably supported on the rods.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY R. ISENHOl VER. [Ls] Witnesses WALTER WV. SHERTZER, PI-HLLP J. HARRAH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

